


The "F" Word Is Flower

by matt_in_the_TARDIS_hat



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Eren is the fucking sun and also my son, Getting Together, Language of Flowers, Levi can't handle this, M/M, Marriage Proposal, prompted, realllllllly gay, romantic and cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-15 01:07:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7199255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matt_in_the_TARDIS_hat/pseuds/matt_in_the_TARDIS_hat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompted by<br/>http://key-to-levis-heart.tumblr.com/post/145830133381/magickitt-a-flower-shop-au-imasmi-gave-me<br/>And<br/>http://key-to-levis-heart.tumblr.com/post/145888479486/flower-shop-au</p><p>"I need to passive-aggressively say 'fuck you' in flower."<br/>in which Levi never thought that a convoluted angry bouquet for Shitty-Glasses would introduce him to the love of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The "F" Word Is Flower

Eren hummed to himself as he fixed a bouquet- something was off in how the Baby’s Breath was dispersed among the mums. His boss, who was also his mother, had trained him in all of the jobs done in a flower shop before hiring him officially, four years ago. Granted, he had been working there long before he was ever an official, paid employee. He knew his way around the hydrangeas, daisies, and Queen Anne’s Lace. He could even keep orchids alive longer than a week.  
It was a sunny April day- perfect for Eren to enjoy the warmth of the sun while still felling the cool breeze. The store’s doors were propped open to let in fresh air and invite customers in with the pleasant scent of the various nectars emanating from the bright blooms. And then a man stormed into the store, looking incredibly out of place.  
It was as if Eren could actually see the sour mood hanging around the man in a dark cloud. Against the spring that was bursting around them, it was almost surreal.  
“I need to passive-aggressively say ‘fuck you’ in flower.” The man growled in a low baritone voice. Eren’s eyebrows raised, but he said nothing, fearing the wrath of this short-tempered (and also short) man.  
“Do you have anything like that?” The man asked, looking Eren in the eye, and Eren was struck with his good looks. Impassive face made of sharp lines, analytical grey eyes, a down-turned mouth that seemed to challenge Eren to prove himself worthy of a smile, which was ridiculous, because none of his customers had ever disliked him, as far as he could tell.  
“Well,” Eren racked his brains. “I’d recommend geraniums, which accuse the receiver of stupidity, foxglove, which means insincerity, meadowsweet; uselessness, yellow carnations; ‘you have disappointed me,’ rhododendron, which expresses a threat, and orange lilies, which mean hatred.” The man pondered it for a moment, maintaining the same displeased expression.  
“Alright. I’ll trust your judgement.” The man replied, and Eren nodded.  
“Would you like to see a sample of the flowers?” The man shrugged, and Eren ducked into the greenhouse in the back to find the chosen breeds. He selected the most complementary shades of each bloom, and returned with the cuts.  
“Will these be alright?” He asked, and the man nodded.  
“May I ask who and why?” The man raised one eyebrow, and Eren realized he was prying into a complete stranger’s personal life- not a good move in the effort of forming regular customers!  
“My coworker is always doing their damnedest to irritate me. This latest time was incredibly inconvenient for me. They showed up as I was working with a private client in my own home, and that client may never come back, thanks to them.”  
“What do you do?” Eren asked, and the man’s expression softened marginally.  
“I work with special needs children and children with other learning impediments, to allow them to express their feelings and needs effectively and make the most out of their education.” Eren smiled, amazed- not only at this man’s kind profession but also the fact that this seemingly unpleasant man cared so much about children.  
“That’s amazing. If my energies weren’t so focused on flowers, I would’ve loved to have been a teacher.” Eren admitted, sighing. The man looked at him with an interested, not-half-irritated look.  
“What got you into flowers?”  
“Family business. Eren Jaeger, Jaeger Botanical Expressions. We even live upstairs.” Eren said. The man sized him up.  
“Eren, huh? It suits you.” Eren blushed slightly.  
“Thank you.” The man smirked a tiny bit, at the very corner of his mouth.  
“No problem.” Eren realized he was staring and shook off his confused feelings of attraction and intimidation. Was it even ‘liking’ if you were slightly terrified for your life at the same time? (A/N: hell yes I feel that way all the time with anime characters)  
“How big?” The man blinked, confusion on his features. Eren realized his own horrible wording, and tried again.  
“What size bouquet?” The man mouthed ‘oh’ and frowned.  
“How much will each of the sizes cost with those two flowers?” Eren quickly calculated it in his head.  
“The smallest size, size A, is six blooms total, so one of each. That would cost ten dollars or so, with the arranging and packaging. Size B is twelve blooms; your typical bouquet, and would cost around eighteen to twenty dollars depending on the packaging. Size C is twenty-four blooms and would cost forty-five dollars with packaging and arranging.” Eren paused when the man held up a hand to stop him.  
“Stop. I’m not paying that much for this person. They don’t deserve it. I’ll go with Size B.” Eren nodded, smiling brightly.  
“I can give you a catalogue of the different vases and things. Wait here for another minute, please.” The man nodded, and Eren ducked into his mother’s tidy but shabby office to grab the pamphlet, which was decorated with purple swirls and little abstract flower shapes.  
“Here. I’ll let you decide while I check to see if we have enough for your order. When do you need it?” Eren asked, and the man shrugged.  
“Today would be fine, but I’ll come back if that’s not possible.” Eren nodded, smiling, and disappeared into the greenhouse again.  
~  
Levi looked over the different vases, message cards, and various decorations, and selected a plain, generic-looking vase. More than Shitty-Glasses deserved anyway.  
More importantly, the cute employee with the vibrant green eyes and a smile that brightened the room more than the hundreds of flowers. Levi wanted to run his hands through that messy brown hair and see if it was as soft as it looked. He also wanted to grab the boy by the stupidly well-fitting white shirt that he wore under that ridiculous, adorable green apron and kiss him, but that was where Levi stopped himself.  
‘Get it together, Levi. You can’t fantasize about a flower boy you just met. Especially since he’s at least five years younger than you.’ His mind reprimanded him.  
‘Watch me.’ he wanted to reply. He wanted to taste the inside of Eren’s mouth, and find out if he was as fit as he looked through his clothes. He wanted to press the boy against the counter and know just how Eren panted and moaned when Levi-  
“Decided what you want?” Levi jumped slightly as Eren returned.  
‘Yeah, I want you. What’s your asking price?’ His mind supplied helpfully. He shook it off internally.  
“This.” He said, pointing to his selection and showing Eren. Eren nodded, smiling. Dear lord, his smile made Levi forget all about his shitty life. He was going to have to send more passive-aggressive bouquets to people.  
“That makes the order eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents. We have enough to make your order right now. Feel free to come back in a half hour if you’d like to get a bite to eat or something. But first, fill this out with your information.” Eren handed him a piece of paper and a pen.  
Name. Levi Ackerman. Address. 8241 Rose Ct. Date of birth. 12/25/91. Employee who helped with this order. Eren Jaeger. Customer Service rating out of ten. Nine (he couldn’t be too nice.) Additional Comments.  
He left this blank.  
The second half of the sheet was clearly for Eren to fill out, so he capped the pen and placed it and the paper on the counter. He’d be back.  
~  
Eren’s mother joined him from making lunch to help prepare the bouquet.  
“What’s the story behind this bouquet?” Carla Jaeger asked her son, slicing a stem diagonally with the expertise appropriate of someone who had been in this business as long as she had been.  
“This guy came in, demanding a bouquet to ‘passive-aggressively say “fuck you” in flower.’ This was the best I could do.” Carla laughed musically.  
“In all of my years, I have never been asked something as convoluted like that. Did I tell you about the young woman who-”? Eren finished her sentence.  
“…Who wanted a topiary in the shape of a middle finger? Yeah, about a hundred times.” Eren griped.  
“Sorry, honey. It’s just that that was the first time I was asked something other than a bouquet meaning ‘love’ or ‘sex’ or ‘mourning.’ It was quite a shocking preposition.” Carla sighed, and cut the last bloom.  
“Get me some gilia, will you, Eren?” Eren obeyed dutifully. It was the Jaeger custom that first-time customers got what Eren called “filler flowers” in their bouquets, small white flowers that grew in clumps that added texture to a bouquet, to encourage future business. Gilia, however, was an ironic choice for this bouquet, considering it meant “eternal joy.”  
“So what did you think of this customer? Three words.” Carla asked conversationally, as they began to arrange the blooms in the vase, which was half-full of water that had been treated with nutrient-full mixtures the Jaegers made themselves. Eren thought for a moment.  
“Moody. Hard to read, if that counts as one word,” Carla shook her head, smiling. “Intriguing. Like the kind of guy, you could be best friends with and still not completely understand.” Carla pursed her lips.  
“Sounds like a tall order. Good job handling him.” Eren shook his head.  
“He honestly wasn’t that bad. Not to me, at least. That’s just what I thought of him; I may be completely wrong.” Eren contradicted himself, and Carla smiled.  
“You’ve always been good with the odd ones. Then again, you’re odd too.” Carla teased, poking his cheek, and Eren protested.  
“What’s wrong with being my own person?” Carla chuckled.  
“Nothing. It just means that you have an easier time with the people who aren’t like everyone else.” They finished the bouquet, and Eren smiled at their work. It was certainly a striking bouquet, all of the bright blooms contrasting with the white gilia, but it didn’t look half bad.  
Eren carried the vase carefully out front, and was not surprised but still somehow disappointed to find it empty. He picked up the invoice and pen to fill out his half.  
“Levi Ackerman.” He read aloud. The name felt like velvet on his tongue; somehow both soft and rough.  
He knew he was just being stupid but he felt his face heat up, and his heartbeat sped up as he thought of the dark-haired man.  
After a few minutes of spraying the blooms with water while he waited, Levi returned, notably less-irritated than he had been when he first entered the flower shop. That was a good sign, Eren thought to himself.  
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Levi said, and Eren shook his head, smiling.  
“It’s fine. Is this bouquet satisfactory?” Eren asked, still smiling. Levi’s mouth fell open slightly as he looked at Eren. Then he blinked and looked down at the bouquet. Eren’s heart raced, as did his mind. Was he interpreting that right, or was he just projecting his interest in Levi on reality?  
“That’s great. Eighteen seventy-five, was it?” Levi asked, pulling out his wallet. Eren hummed an affirmative.  
“Here you go. Keep the change.” Levi told him, and handed him a twenty.  
“Thank you. Would you like my card- er, in case you would like to order from us again?” Eren corrected himself. No, he was not giving this attractive man his number and email address. He was creating opportunities for their business to continue in the future.  
That’s what he told himself, anyway.  
Levi smiled genuinely- a tiny bit, and Eren’s heart paused for a second.  
“Yeah, I’d like that.” Eren smiled, and pulled a card out of his apron pocket.  
“My hours are technically eight to seven, but you can call later than that if you really need. I don’t mind.” Eren told him, and Levi nodded, taking the card and putting it in his pocket before picking up the vase.  
“Thank you.” He said, and walked out. Eren sighed as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight.  
It really didn’t do that he had a crush on a customer who might never come back. Then again, Levi didn’t seem to dislike him. Maybe there was hope.  
Maybe.  
~  
Levi smirked to himself, walking to his office building, which was thankfully only a block away. He had a plan. It kind of sucked, as far as plans went, but he figured it was straight out of a shoujo manga, so it might actually work.  
He had thought he might need an AED to start his heart again when Eren had given him that look- the looking up through the lashes with a tiny smile look. Eren was just too attractive for his own good. Was it really Levi’s fault that he was interested?  
A few days later, he emailed Eren between clients.  
“Good afternoon. I’d like to order a bouquet, size B, ranunculus and daffodils. Clear vase like before, and a custom message card. I’d like to pick it up this week if at all possible. Thanks, Levi Ackerman.”  
He received a response within minutes.  
“Hello Levi. That sounds entirely doable. How is Friday? Will cost $19.45. Eren Jaeger.”  
He smiled to himself.  
“That sounds perfect. Thanks. Levi.”  
~  
Eren wasn’t jealous per say. Jealousy was being territorial about something that was already yours, and Levi was not his by any means, except maybe his customer. But he had to wonder who Levi was giving a bouquet of flowers that meant “the receiver is stunning/charming” and “unrequited love.” Not that it was any of his business. He was just curious. Right?  
No, he had to admit it. He was unrightfully jealous. He didn’t know the first thing about Levi, but he was jealous.  
It was Friday, and Levi walked in a light grey button-down shirt that matched his eyes. Eren’s first thought was ‘I would love to take that shirt off him.’ Then he mentally slapped himself and smiled welcomingly.  
“I have your order in the back. One moment, please. Here’s your message card.” He handed Levi the cardstock slip, and their fingers brushed.  
He has soft hands, Eren noted.  
Eren returned with the vase, and Levi’s eyes roamed over the white and yellow daffodil and coral ranunculus blooms.  
“That looks perfect. How do I attach the card?” Eren took the card, carefully not allowing himself to look at it, and perched it on the attachment clip. Levi smiled slightly, handing him twenty-two dollars, and slid the vase towards him. Eren tucked the money in his apron with a smile, and waited for Levi to make his exit.  
“Actually, these are for you.” Levi slid them back toward Eren. Eren’s heartbeat skipped like a kid on the playground.  
“Really? Why?” He found himself asking, not wanting to believe the flowers held any meaning, in case they were a completely random choice. Levi bit his lip.  
“Well, I assume you could figure it out yourself, since flowers are your business and all.” Eren froze. They meant something.  
They meant something.  
Levi’s lips tilted down again as he remained silent with shock.  
“Of course, if you’re uncomfortable with that, then I guess they’re my gratitude for completing such an odd request last time, and in such a timely manner. I’ll just go.” Levi stumbled over his own words. Eren finally found his voice as his cheeks burned.  
“It’s not that, I promise. I was just surprised. No one’s ever done something like that for me.” Eren smiled softly, looking down at the blooms. Then he remembered the card. He unclipped it. In Levi’s scrawling handwriting:  
“For the flower boy whose smiles are better than any bouquet.”  
Eren blushed, ducking his head as he peeked up at Levi.  
“You didn’t have to do this much. A few words would have sufficed.” Levi raised an eyebrow.  
“I wanted to. I’m actually amazed you don’t get this kind of treatment from all of your customers.” Eren looked down, smiling.  
“You’re the first.”  
‘And hopefully the last.’ Eren thought, butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he met Levi’s eyes.  
“I’m glad. I want to make you feel as beautiful as you are.” Eren blushed harder, sliding the bouquet to the side.  
“Since I’m on work hours, I can’t do much. But I will do this.” He hopped over the corner deftly and cupped Levi’s cheek. They closed the distance, and then Eren pulled away quickly. The last thing he wanted was for his mother to walk out and find him swapping spit with a customer. Levi exhaled, clearly disappointed. Eren smiled at that and kissed him again.  
“Sorry. Work hours. You can definitely come back at seven.” Levi nodded, looking back and forth from his eyes to his lips.  
“I’ll do that.” Eren smiled, and Levi kissed him again.  
“Sorry, couldn’t help myself.” Levi smiled ruefully, and Eren laughed, kissing him again.  
“No harm, no foul.” His shoulders shook with laughter, and then suddenly, a phone was ringing. Eren didn’t recognize it, but Levi sighed and pulled out his phone.  
“Your timing is uncanny.” His face took on an angry look. Eren decided in that moment that he much preferred happy Levi. Levi paused to listen to the reply, then said:  
“I’ll be there in a minute.” He hung up, shaking his head.  
“Did I not say my coworker has a talent for irritating me?” Eren giggled, and kissed Levi one more time.  
“See you in a few hours. Good luck.” Levi’s face softened, and he touched Eren’s cheek. Eren’s eyes closed unconsciously at the feeling, and then Levi said goodbye and left.  
Eren touched his lips. Levi’s lips were rougher than his hands, but he liked the feeling.  
~  
Eren spent a good hour sitting around and daydreaming before his mother called out from the greenhouse that the hibiscuses looked dry.  
Levi tried not to run down the block. It was 6:53. He had hung around at the office doing paperwork nearly two hours after he would have normally left. He shook his head internally at himself. Who knew a cute kid could make him have a better work ethic. Even Erwin, his boss, had commented on it.  
When he slowed to a walk in front of the store neighboring Jaeger’s Botanical, he saw Eren in the window, writing something at the counter.  
Eren looked up as he walked in, and smiled happily.  
“Mom, I’m going out, ok?” He yelled to the back of the store. Then, he hopped over the counter with the agility he had displayed that morning- Levi shook his head at young people nowadays, honestly (not that he was much older.)  
“Hello again.” He said to Levi, and Levi smiled slightly.  
“Hey.” Eren’s hands went to Levi’s shoulders as he kissed him again, this time with parted lips. Levi got the picture.  
Levi’s lips parted as well, and his tongue slipped into Eren’s mouth. Eren tasted like warm- whatever that tasted like. They tasted each other experimentally, and then with familiarity, for several gasping minutes, until finally they broke apart when Levi had to fight the urge to press his thigh between Eren’s legs.  
‘Slow down, idiot,’ his mind reprimanded him. ‘You’re getting what you want; don’t push it.’  
The thing was, Levi wanted to overdose on Eren. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about the negative effects of going too far; it was just that Eren was addictive. He always found himself wanting more.  
“Would you like to go somewhere for dinner?” Eren smiled and nodded. Levi led him out of the store.  
“Where would you like to go?” Eren smiled, pondering that.  
“I don’t care. As a typical guy my age, I eat most things.” Levi frowned.  
“How old are you?” Please, please, over eighteen, Levi prayed.  
“Nineteen as of last month.” Levi thanked any deity that was listening.  
“Oh, really? I’m twenty-five.” Eren’s eyes went wide.  
“You look twenty.” Levi smirked.  
“Dermatologists hate me.” Eren laughed, and they walked in the direction of a restaurant Levi sometimes went to after work with coworkers. Not Shitty-Glasses if he could help it.  
“So tell me yourself.” Eren said, and Levi sighed. Where to start?  
~  
Eren learned that Levi had worked hard and graduated college early to take care of his little sister after their parents died in a car crash, and went into special education because he babysitted a mute kid over one summer in high school and realized that that was his calling- working with those kids. His younger sister was Eren’s age, now away at an out-of-state college. Levi liked classical music, reading poetry, and high-adrenaline action movies.  
“Enough about me,” Levi said, holding the door for Eren. They walked into the restaurant. “What about you?” Eren paused. What was there to know about him? He had had a pretty boring life.  
“I don’t know what you want to know.” Levi shrugged.  
“Anything.”  
“Well, obviously I grew up in the flower business. I learned it all from my mom. I was going to take a gap year of work to save up for college, but I think I’ll probably end up taking over the business, which would make college a huge waste of money.” It was slightly nerve-wracking to have Levi’s eyes completely focused on him, and also brought back that butterfly sensation in his stomach.  
“Do you want to do something else?”  
“I wanted to be a teacher when I was in high school, but the older I get, the more I feel like my mom is depending on me taking over the business. Keeping it ‘Jaeger.’ I’d rather not abandon my mom like my dad did when she had me.” Levi nodded in understanding.  
“That’s very responsible of you.” Eren shrugged.  
“What about you? What do you like?” Levi pressed. Eren’s mind went blank. What did he like?  
“I like making people happy? Um, I like jazz. And historical documentaries. And horror movies. I’m a vegetarian.” Levi looked at him in surprise.  
“…I don’t know what to tell you, honestly. I’m pretty boring.” Levi’s eyes shone in the light of the restaurant.  
“On the contrary, I find you very interesting. What’s your favorite flower?” Levi asked him, and Eren leaned back in his seat.  
“Naturally, you ask the hardest questions. I don’t know, I like the lilac. It has a pleasant smell. And I guess I can relate to its meaning now.” Levi raised a questioning eyebrow, and Eren smiled, shaking his head.  
“I don’t want to tell you,” His face burned. “What about you? What’s your favorite flower?” Levi thought about it, though he clearly did not forget Eren’s comment about a lilac’s meaning.  
“I’m going to sound sappy, but the rose. I love that it can mean so many different things, not to mention it’s used in poetry about a hundred thousand times.” Eren nodded, smiling.  
“Sorry about the wait. What would you like to drink?” A waitress said, startling them. Had they been so invested in each other that they had forgotten their location?  
“I’ll have a water.” Eren said, noting his parched throat.  
“The same for me.” Levi said, and the waitress walked away. Levi looked back at him.  
“I’ll ask you another difficult question,” he smirked. “What is your goal in life? What do you want to be able to look back on your deathbed and say ‘I’m glad I did that’?” Eren thought about it, smiling.  
“I want to have a successful career that doesn’t interfere with my own personal interests, and I guess I’d want to settle down and raise some kids. I don’t want to repeat my mother’s history, though. No deadbeats allowed.” Levi nodded.  
“Deadbeats are afraid of commitment, and taking care of someone. I happen to have experience with taking care of children. I would know. I’ve seen enough of them. A lot of times, a parent will abandon their child and the other parent, because their child is special needs. It’s cruel. Those kids are the sweetest and purest kids on the planet. They deserve better.” Levi’s tone went angry at the last bit. Eren smiled.  
“I’m sure you’ll make an excellent father one day.” Levi smiled a little, looking down.  
‘Maybe even the father of my child.’ Eren thought dreamily.  
“What about you? What is your goal?” Eren asked, and Levi frowned in thought.  
“I want to have made a difference in those kids’ lives. I want to maintain a close relationship with my sister. And, like you, I want to raise my own kids, too. It’s pretty quaint for a life goal, but that’s all I’ve got at the moment.” Eren smiled, shaking his head.  
“That’s a great goal to have. People like you keep the world from spiraling into hell.” Eren joked, and Levi chuckled.  
“Your waters. Are you ready to order?” The waitress had returned. They scrambled for the menus. Eren ordered a pasta dish, and Levi ordered a falafel wrap.  
“You have to try it. It’s the reason I come her. It’s completely vegan, actually, but it tastes like real Mediterranean food, which is a miracle here.” Levi said, referring to the falafel wrap. Eren smiled and nodded, sipping his water.  
Levi had not felt so strongly about one person since his first client graduated high school. He had been so proud of both of their achievements as teacher and student.  
This feeling was completely different, although it had the same squeezing feeling in his heart.  
Eren’s smile was radiant and his laugh was magical, and Levi sounded like a love-crazed fool but he didn’t care. After one date, he knew.  
‘Eren Jaeger, I want to marry you.’  
Of course, it was a little too soon to actually say that, so he stayed quiet, feeling that tightness in his chest, and listened to Eren explain Islam to him as they walked back to Eren’s workplace/home.  
“Islamophobia is completely unjustified. It’s a beautiful religion that needs to be respected. They have higher morals than most Christians do.” Eren concluded, and Levi nodded.  
“Hey, Eren, is it okay if I come back at seven, tomorrow? I don’t care what we do, I just want to see you again.” Levi asked, and Eren smiled, cheeks pink.  
“Sure. Next date will be my treat.” Levi felt that tightness in his chest again as they stopped in front of the flower shop.  
“I had fun. Thanks for taking me out.” Eren smiled, and Levi experienced what he liked to call ‘emotional constipation,’ where he had too many emotions inside him and couldn’t express them. Well, screw words. He had other means of expression.  
Levi cupped Eren’s cheek and kissed him deeply. Their lips part again, and this time, Eren tasted like fireworks. It left Levi seeing stars.  
“As much as I would love to continue this, I don’t want to move too quickly. I’d really prefer not losing my virginity on our first date. So I’ll see you tomorrow.” Eren said, and kissed Levi once more before heading inside. Levi watched him walk away, watching that ass.  
Damn. He was going to have a wet dream tonight.  
~  
It had been a few months of this- meeting after Eren got off work to go out or just be around each other. Carla had been introduced to Levi after two weeks, and she had merely smiled, shook his hand, and then whispered some threat in his ear if he ever hurt her son.  
Eren was really, really in love with Levi Ackerman.  
Carla teased him after she found him staring at a picture of them that was on his phone, sighing like a young girl in love, but he didn’t really care. Levi had stolen his heart completely. There was no denying it.  
Then one day, Levi came into the shop during work hours. Eren looked at him with confusion.  
“Levi, you’re an hour early. What are you doing here?” Levi smiled slightly.  
“I have to get something from your mom. Do you mind getting her for me?” Eren nodded, still confused.  
“Mom, Levi’s here to see… You?” Carla looked up from her work, trimming a rose bush.  
“Oh yes, he ordered something. Can you give him a message card?” Eren dutifully obeyed, feeling slightly like he was being deceived.  
“Here.” Eren handed Levi a card and a pen, and Levi smiled at him before beginning to write.  
Carla walked in with a Size C bouquet of yellow tulips, sweet pea blooms, and baby’s breath. “Hopelessly in love,” bliss, and undying love.  
Oh. My. Lord.  
Eren felt a wave of déjà vu. Levi smiled, handing Eren the card.  
“No point attaching it. Just read it.” Eren couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he realized what was happening.  
“Eren, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You make me happier than you know. I want to be that happy every day of my life, starting now, and I want to make you happy too. So, since I’m not good with words, here’s where I’m going with this. I know it’s really soon, but I’m serious about us. Will you make me the luckiest man on the planet and marry me?” Eren looked up from the card, tears welling up.  
Levi smiled shyly, holding open a little velvet box.  
Eren threw off his apron, jumping over the counter and into Levi’s arms, and pressed their lips together happily.  
“Yes, Levi. Yes.” Carla watched them, smiling contentedly. She had known from the start that Levi was going to be the one. She couldn’t explain why. A mother just knew.  
Eren looked into Levi’s eyes, fully crying now.  
“Why the hell are you crying?”  
“This is an emotional time for me, Levi, and some people actually have functioning tear ducts, unlike you.” Eren retorted, referring to the fact that Levi hadn’t cried at all when they watched The Notebook together. The Notebook! Who didn’t cry at that, at all? Besides Levi.  
Levi chuckled, and kissed Eren again.  
“You’re a mess.”  
“Hey, you proposed, not me. What, are you already regretting it?” Eren teased. Levi gave him a disbelieving look.  
~  
‘Regretting it?’ Levi thought. ‘Hell no.’  
He kissed Eren harder, tasting the inside of Eren’s mouth. He tasted like joy.  
“What on earth would make you think that?” He asked, and Eren looked at him with loving eyes. Levi glanced at Ms. Jaeger, now his mother-in-law to be.  
“Is it ok if we go now?” She smiled and nodded.  
“I’ll call it ‘paid time off.’ Now go, you lovebirds. I’ll put the bouquet in Eren’s room.” Carla shooed them away, and Levi pulled Eren by the hand to his car.  
“Where are we going?” Eren asked. Levi opened Eren’s door for him and then went over to the driver’s side.  
“My apartment. I’ll cook for you.” Levi was practically vibrating with emotion, but he didn’t let it show just yet. This wasn’t the proper setting.  
Levi’s apartment was pretty small; two bedrooms and one bath. It was also kind of in the eternal state of ‘messy but not dirty.’  
Levi closed the door behind Eren and then was surprised by Eren pressing him against the door with a myriad of rough, needy kisses. Levi pulled Eren’s face to his for a long kiss of tasting and hands wandering, and this time Levi didn’t stop himself from pressing his thigh between Eren’s legs. Eren moaned, kissing Levi’s neck as Levi pressed between his legs harder. Finally, Eren moved back to his lips and thrust against Levi’s leg, pupils dilated almost to the point of any green disappearing.  
“Bedroom… Now.” Levi gasped as Eren dug his nails into his back.  
They stumbled into Levi’s room, Eren unbuttoning Levi’s shirt. Levi threw the shirt to the ground as Eren got on the bed, and then Levi straddled Eren, kissing him feverishly as he thrust down against Eren’s tented jeans. Eren’s moans awoke something in Levi. He helped Eren pull off his shirt and dragged his tongue down his bare, lightly muscled chest.  
“I am so in love with you, Eren. I don’t know how to say it.” Levi said, pulling Eren’s pants down and revealing dark blue boxers.  
“I love you too, Levi.” Eren moaned, breathing heavily.  
Levi pulled the boxers down and took Eren’s member in his mouth as Eren gasped. Levi grazed his tongue along it experimentally, loving to see Eren clutch the bedsheets, face red.  
“L-Levi!” He paused, and Eren gasped out:  
“I-I want to…” He looked away, clearly flustered. Levi raised an eyebrow.  
“I want to top.” Eren whispered, and Levi smirked to himself. He was suddenly hit with the realization that walking into that flower shop to let off some frustration at Shitty-Glasses was quite possibly the best decision he’d ever made.  
Levi dragged his lips down Eren’s shaft as he got up, making Eren moan, and then opened the drawer of his night stand.  
“Why do you have that? Were you planning this?” Eren asked as he pulled out a small tube.  
“I’m a sexually-aware gay man,” Levi replied, shedding his pants and underwear. “Why wouldn’t I have this? And I didn’t plan this, although I certainly hoped.” Eren blushed, looking away, and then Levi tossed the tube onto Eren’s chest.  
“Go ahead.” Levi said, laying down next to him. Eren sat up, uncapping the tube, and poured some onto his fingers before straddling Levi.  
“Let me know if I’m doing something wrong, okay?” Eren requested, kissing Levi. Levi pulled him closer, tasting him as Eren’s first finger went in.  
He tasted like heat- ferocious, unstoppable, and passion-filled. Levi’s breathing hitched as Eren’s second finger went in, and stretched his opening.  
“Are you okay?” Eren asked nervously. Levi nodded, and zeroed in on a patch of light skin on Eren’s collarbone. He latched onto the skin just as the third finger went in. They moaned in quiet harmonies that Levi thought could have inspired symphonies.  
Levi released Eren’s skin from his teeth slowly, and whispered:  
“Eren Jaeger, I want you to fuck me.” Eren met his eyes with his own hooded ones, and Levi felt a fresh bout of arousal go through him.  
Levi exhaled with disappointment as Eren pulled his fingers out, but it only lasted a moment before Eren was pushing his member in and Levi thought he was going to burst- in a good way. Eren pulled back and angled himself differently before thrusting in again, slowly and sensually. He brushed something that filled Levi with blinding white-hot fire, and Levi yelped.  
“Do that again.” Levi gasped, and Eren hit it harder. Levi was painfully erect now. His hand slid down to touch himself, and Eren stopped him.  
“Let me do it.”  
~  
Eren loved this view of Levi.  
Gone were the careful composure and emotionless mask Levi maintained every day. Levi writhed beneath him, face contorted in pleasure and blushing like a virgin- which, Eren realized, Levi might have been before today, just like him. Eren loved that he could make his now-fiancé experience such pleasure.  
His hand pumped up and down Levi’s member in time with his thrusts into Levi’s prostate. Levi was long past the point of being able to speak coherently.  
Of course, he felt amazing too. Levi was so hot and tight. But what he really got off on was the fact that he was able to cause such a reaction in Levi.  
Levi moaned, and somehow Eren realized that that meant that Levi was close. He smirked.  
“I love you.” At that, Levi groaned, and then he was coming all over Eren’s hand and both of their stomachs with a cry of “Eren!”  
That pushed Eren over the edge, and then he was coming as well, gasping as everything went white for a moment.  
Eren leaned down, kissing Levi sloppily.  
“I love you too.” Levi murmured, looking up at Eren with partially closed eyes. Eren pulled out with a wet noise and cuddled up against Levi’s side.  
“You promise you’ll be there when I wake up? This isn’t some fantastic dream?” Levi mumbled, and Eren kissed the bit of his chest he was closest to.  
“Cross my heart.” Levi smiled slightly and his breathing evened out.  
“Goodnight, Levi.” Eren whispered, and closed his eyes, allowing his lover’s breathing to lull him into sleep.  
~  
Sometimes, Eren would find a bouquet of red roses in his room after work, and sometimes Levi would wake up to a pair of lilac blooms entangled in the sheets in place of his love.  
Eren and Levi’s little sister got on remarkably well, and she moved into a nearby apartment after graduating. And if only you had seen the proud look on Carla’s face as she walked her only child down the aisle.  
And they were happy. And isn’t that the best part of all of this? Not the intimacy, not the romance. The fact that they made each other happy, and lived their lives together with the casual privilege they were never afforded in another life.  
They were human, and they were happy.

End.


End file.
